Kalanchoe plant named ‘Arina’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Arina’, characterized by its compact, upright and freely branching plant habit; relatively small dark green-colored leaves; dark orange-colored single flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Arina’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofKalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Arina’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Hinnerup, Denmark. The objective of the breedingprogram was to create new freely-flowering Kalanchoe cultivars withattractive flower coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Kalanchoe originated from a cross-pollination made in Hinnerup,Denmark in February, 2000, of the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Pico,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Kalanchoeblossfeldiana cultivar Fame, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,429, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Kalanchoe was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment inHinnerup, Denmark in April, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe by terminal cuttings atHinnerup, Denmark since July, 2001, has shown that the unique featuresof this new Kalanchoe are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Arina has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Arina’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Arina’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and freely branching plant habit.    -   2. Relatively small dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Dark orange-colored single flowers.    -   4. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent, the cultivar Pico, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are stronger than plants of the        cultivar Pico.    -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the cultivar Pico.    -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have darker orange-colored        flowers than plants of the cultivar Pico.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ primarily from plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Fame, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have smaller flowers than plants        of the cultivar Fame.    -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have darker orange-colored        flowers than plants of the cultivar Fame.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the Kalanchoecultivar Carmen, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,838. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Hinnerup, Denmark, plants of thenew Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Carmen in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact and had shorter        internodes than plants of the cultivar Carmen.    -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had smaller leaves than plants of        the cultivar Carmen.    -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had smaller and fewer flowers        than plants of the cultivar Carmen.    -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flowered about four days later        than plants of the cultivar Carmen.    -   5. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had darker orange-colored flowers        than plants of the cultivar Carmen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Kalanchoe, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Kalanchoe. The photographs were taken under diffuse naturallight conditions on a sunny day at approximately noon in Hinnerup,Denmark.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering potted plant of ‘Arina’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a top perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Arina’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in thephotographs and for the following observations and measurements weregrown in Hinnerup, Denmark, under commercial practice in a glass-coveredgreenhouse for about 14 weeks after planting with average daytemperatures of 19° C., average night temperatures of 21° C. and lightlevels ranging from 10 to 50 kilolux. Plants used for the descriptionand photographs were not pinched. Unless otherwise specified, the leafdescription represents leaves from a vegetative plant.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Arina.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar            Pico, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar            Fame, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,429.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at 19° C. to            21° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at 19° C.            to 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at 19° C. to 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at 19° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white, close to 155D, in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form/growth habit.—Compact and upright plant habit; short            internodes; freely flowering habit with numerous compound            cymes. Actual plant shape will depend on whether or not            plants are pinched (terminal apices removed). Moderately            vigorous.        -   Branching habit.—About six lateral branches per plant.            Pinching is not required but will enhance lateral branch            development.        -   Plant height at flowering.—About 9 cm.        -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 12 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Size:            Leaf size is reduced at floral induction. Vegetative plants:            Length: About 7 cm to 10 cm. Width: About 5 cm to 6 cm.            Reproductive plants: Length: about 6 cm to 8 cm. Width:            About 5 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Rounded.            Margin: Crenate. Aspect: Concave. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; leathery; succulent. Color:            Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A;            shiny. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface:            147C. Petiole length: About 5 cm to 6 cm. Petiole diameter:            About 5 mm to 7 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Petiole color, upper surface:            144A. Petiole color, lower surface: 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Small single flowers arranged in            compound dichasial cymes that arise from leaf axils. Freely            flowering habit. Flowers not persistent.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering year-round when flower            initiation and development is induced under short day/long            night conditions. In the garden, plants flower from April to            October in Denmark.        -   Time to flower.—About 72 days with short day/long night            conditions are required to produce flowering plants. Time to            flower is primarily dependent upon temperature and light            intensity.        -   Flower opening.—First flower open is the terminal flower at            the main axis and is followed by the opening of the terminal            flowers of the side branches of the inflorescence. About 1.5            weeks after the first flower has opened, about 50% of the            flowers are open.        -   Post-production longevity.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe            maintain good leaf and flower substance for about six weeks            under interior environmental conditions.        -   Cyme height.—About 4 cm to 5 cm.        -   Cyme diameter.—About 6 cm.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering, potentially about 150 to            200 flowers per plant.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Narrowly ellipsoidal. Length: About            1.7 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Color: 29D; towards the apex,            31B.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 1 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: About four per flower. Length: About 6 mm.            Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Round ovate. Apex: Mucronate.            Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Towards the apex, 33A; towards the base, 28A. When            opening, lower surface: 32A. Fully opened, upper surface:            33A; color becoming closer to 27A towards the base with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: 29D overlain with            34A; color becoming closer to 27A blushed with 33C with            development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity: About four per flower. Length: About 6 mm.            Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Linear to lanceolate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color: When opening and fully            opened, upper surface: 143C. When opening and fully opened,            lower surface: 143C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Angle:            Erect to about 60° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:            Erect to about 90° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Stamen number: About five to            ten per flower. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape:            Elliptic. Anther color: 14B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: 17C. Pistils: Pistil number: About four per flower.            Pistil length: About 5 mm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style            color: 145A. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color: 145A.            Ovaries: Superior and four-celled. Ovary color: Between 147A            and 147B.        -   Seeds.—Quantity: About 50 to 60 seeds per ovary. Length:            Less than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Color, immature:            145C. Color, mature: 177A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to known pathogens and pests    common to Kalanchoe has not been observed on plants of the new    Kalanchoe grown under commercial greenhouse conditions.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from 5° C. to 30° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named ‘Arina’, asillustrated and described.